USUCHD-R RESEARCH CORE Despite overall improvements in health in the United States, substantial health disparities within ethnic/racial minority populations (e.g., African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans) and underserved majority populations continue to exist. This is clearly demonstrated in the area of obesity, metabolic syndrome and its related morbidities including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, insulin resistance, and diabetes where the prevalence rates for metabolic syndrome (hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and consequent cardiovascular disease/CVD) are higher in African American (AA) as compared to Caucasians (CA) and persons of Hispanic (HI) origin (1-6). In addition, AA men and women appear to experience these diseases at earlier ages(7-8)